Ramsar Small Grants Fund: How to Apply
Application to the Ramsar Small Grants Fund
The opportunity to apply to the Ramsar Small Grants Fund is open once a year in spring. Projects may be proposed and implemented by any agency, NGO, or individual, but proposals MUST be endorsed and monitored by the Administrative Authority (the Ramsar implementing agency) in the Party's government.
The Ramsar Small Grants Fund is intended to assist developing countries and those with economies in transition in implementing the Convention and to support the conservation and wise use of wetland resources, with a strong human and social dimension. Funds may also be used to provide emergency management assistance for Ramsar Sites under threat and to provide ‘preparatory assistance’ to allow non-Contracting Parties to progress toward accession when such needs arise.
Each year the Ramsar Secretariat carries out a rigorous evaluation procedure to assess the project proposals according to the strength of the project design, their relevance to the Convention’s objectives, and the capacity of the proponents to complete the project successfully.
Eligibility criteria
The project proposal should contribute to the implementation of the Convention's Strategic Plan 2009-2015 for the conservation and wise use of wetlands
Your country is on the List of Aid Recipients established by the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) of the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
The project proposal is endorsed by the Administrative Authority of your Country
The project proposal is submitted using the Ramsar form.
How to apply?
Note: For 2011 the project cycle is closed. Please check back in 2012 for more information.
Application information and requested forms:
Ramsar Small Grants Fund - Operational Guidelines for the triennium [PDF] The Ramsar submission form corresponds to its sections B1 and B2.
Other useful documents:
Advisory service to prepare your proposal
The Secretariat's regional teams offer an advisory service to help with the preparation of suitable proposals. Please note that our advice is intended to help to improve project proposals before their final submission in the appropriate form, but it is not a guarantee that the proposals will be approved by the Standing Committee when it makes its decisions.
Useful tips and examples of projects and approaches most often selected for assistance can also be found looking at our news reports of successfully completed projects under the Achievements section.
